It’s really no surprise that UBC is consistently ranked as one of the top Universities in the world. Not only are the academics top notch, but the campus itself is a whole other attraction on its own.

With garden space, museums, gorgeous architecture, and plenty of other things to do, it is easy to spend an entire day on the UBC campus without having to step foot in a classroom.

There’s no better time than now to check out UBC as the campus still remains slightly empty without the back to school crowds. If you have time, check out these interesting things to do at the UBC Point Grey campus:

Check out the Harry Potter Room

Recently featured in a spoof article claiming that J.K. Rowling had bought the building, the Harry Potter room is located in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Also known as the Ridington Room (Room 321), this area was given its nickname by students due to the winding staircases and portraits on the wall. Take a break and sit in one of the comfy chairs and just imagine that you’ve made it all the way to Hogwarts.

Photo courtesy of sherrivokey | Flickr.com

Take a stroll in the perfectly manicured Nitobe Gardens

For a mere $6 (or free for students) you can take a trip to Japan without having to worry about booking a plane ticket. The Nitobe Memorial Garden is a secluded piece of sanctuary on the UBC campus that transports you away from the regular hustle and bustle of the University. Stroll down the manicured paths and stay awhile to watch the Koi fish mingle among themselves. The Nitobe Gardens are maintained in such a way that you may have to spend a few hours ogling the beautiful trees and shrubs.

Photo courtesy of Laríssa | Flickr.com

Have a whale of a time at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum

The Beaty Biodiversity Museum isn’t your typical museum–it’s more of a storage area full of natural specimens, animals, and other interesting things on display. While the 20,000 square feet of exhibits are pretty amazing, the highlight of the museum is the full blue whale skeleton. This skeleton is massive and lets you truly appreciate the wonders of nature. The Beaty Museum is open from 10am to 5pm every day, but the whale skeleton is view-able from Main Mall and doesn’t require you to go inside the building (but it’s much better to see it up close and personal)

Image courtesy of Tlaloc Xicotencatl | Flickr.com

Spend some time browsing the Museum of Anthropology

Most Vancouver locals have visited the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) during forced trips in Elementary school. There’s something much better about actually deciding to go to a museum that makes the experience much more enjoyable. MOA is packed with knickknacks, cultural items, and many West Coast aboriginal art work items. The building itself is also beautiful, and the grounds are worth exploring.

Image courtesy of bronwynmaye | Flickr.com

Wander down to Tower Beach

Tower Beach is one of the lesser known beaches in Vancouver. Like the nearby Wreck Beach, Tower Beach is clothing optional. However, Tower Beach also has some amazing scenery and a staircase that is decidedly easier to climb. Tower Beach was so named because of the two 10 meter high concrete towers that were built to watch over the entrance to Vancouver’s harbour during world war two. These towers are obviously now defunct, and have turned into canvases for the Vancouver graffiti elite. Tower Beach can be found by following Beach Trail 3 at the top of North West Marine Drive (where it merges with Chancellor Boulevard). The beach is very rocky, so sunbathing is not advised.

Image courtesy of gcD600 | Flickr.com

There are lots of other interesting things to do on the UBC campus, but it would require more than a day to do it all! Check out the UBC mobile site and map to help you scout out the attractions (and not get lost!).

The UBC campus is open 24/7 but most of the attractions are not. If you’ve got some spare time on your hands, wander or bike around the UBC campus and see what other great things you can discover. If you’re a current or potential UBC student, check out this list of 93 things to do on campus before you graduate.

What’s your favourite part about UBC? Let us know in the comments below!

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